Egypt need Salah fully fit if they are to dazzle

MOSCOW: When the health of a player is the subject of a presidential statement, then it is probably fair to say that Egypt are pinning their hopes on Mohamed Salah.

Will he or won’t he? That’s the question everyone is asking as the Liverpool star continues his recovery from the shoulder injury which curtailed his appearance in the May 26 Champions League final against Real Madrid.

Salah is on his way back, is the message at the team’s training base in Grozny. But will the recovery come in time for the team’s Group A game against Uruguay in Yekaterinburg tomorrow?

“The president was reassured on the health of player Mohamed Salah who affirmed that his condition is noticeably improving and he is on his way to recover,” presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said in a statement after the squad was received on Saturday by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi before setting off to Russia.

That Salah is a key player for Egypt is an understatement. Not only did he score 44 goals in a memorable first season with Liverpool, he was the top scorer in Africa’s qualifiers for the World Cup. He netted five of Egypt’s eight goals including the late winner against Congo in October which qualified the Pharaohs for Russia.

His injury in a tackle by Real’s Spain defender Sergio Ramos in the Kiev Champions League final was not only anguish for Liverpool but led to a collective wailing and gnashing of teeth in Egypt, where at first the worst was feared.

Since then the news has been much better for the North Africans, although Egypt team director Ehab Leheita has been quoted as saying the team is not rushing Salah and are working with him step by step for his return at the right time.

“Now I’m feeling better,” Salah himself was quoted as saying. “I’m hopeful of being able to play in our first game, but this will depend on how I feel when the day comes around.”

Egypt are by no means a one-man team, and players who could make their mark in the squad under Argentinian coach Hector Cuper include midfielder Mahmoud Hassan, aka Trezeguet.

“I have a strong feeling that our generation will dazzle the world in the race (at the World Cup),” he said.

Veteran goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, at 45 years and 5 months, is also hoping for the opportunity of breaking the record as the oldest player to feature at a World Cup.

Two-time winners Uruguay, who can boast attacking stars such as Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, and captain Diego Godin in defence, will be favourites to win the group, which also features Russia and Saudi Arabia.

But Hassan said “Our chances are not nil. We have the chance like other competitors to qualify.” - dpa